Local teens to help in Triskele Foundation's community garden program

EXTON — A Chester County philanthropic organization is again organizing a summer program to teach local youths the value of healthy eating and the skills to grow food for that purpose.

Food for Thought is a program in which teenagers from areas like Pottstown, Lower Pottsgrove, Phoenixville and Spring City learn food-growing skills at local farms.

Food for Thought is part of the larger program, Food For All, which aims to grow food to be distributed among those who need it. Partnered with the Chester County Food Bank, The Triskeles Foundation believes about 10,000 pounds of food including fresh tomatoes, zucchini, beans and squash will be grown by the end of the summer.

“With Food for All taking off, Triskeles hopes Chester County will be a beacon of positive and practical solutions to hunger for communities all across the country,” a release said.

Advertisement

Food for Thought pays teenagers for the work they do at local farms, as well as providing them a breakfast at the Kimberton Waldorf School each morning before they head off to work and learn at the farms.

Among the teenagers working in the program is a group from Rolling Hills Apartments in Lower Pottsgrove.

“It gives our youth the opportunity to earn money and give back to their community with the skills they have learned,” said Laura English, social service coordinator at Rolling Hills.

Teens from Rolling Hills were involved with the program last year, as well.

In addition to involvement with the program itself, English said there’s been talk of also creating “a small garden here at Rolling Hills for all of our residents.”

According to Deanna McNamara, a spokesperson for Triskeles, the organization is looking for teenagers with “a genuine interest” and “a willingness to work with the staff” in the program.

“We’re not looking for kids whose parents put them up to it or are going to back out once the work gets started,” she told The Mercury.

Applicants to the program are screened and interviewed to make sure they’re really interested in the program.

Those interested in participating in the program can contact Triskeles’ Bob Steininger at 610-321-9876 or via email at Bobsteininger@triskeles.org.

Mike McGrath, the host of “You Bet Your Garden” on NPR, praised the Food for All program as a good initiative to solve some hunger issues.

“I can’t think of a single community that doesn’t need to replicate this program,” McGrath said, according to the Triskeles release.

Gardens will be set up at some local places such as Upper Providence Elementary School and Royersford Baptist Church.

About the Author

Frank Otto is a general assignment reporter covering Phoenixville, Limerick and Spring-Ford schools in addition to features and spot news. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Otto moonlights with the sports department on occasion. Reach the author at fotto@pottsmerc.com
or follow Frank on Twitter: @fottojourno.